Dawns Shadow
by Dawnwillow168
Summary: A story that follows an OC called Akegata Kumori. Not too good at writing summaries... Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
1. The Hollow Captain

Akegatas heart beat a thumping frenzy as she stepped forward. She placed her hand parallel to it.  
"Hado 31! Shakkaho!" she cried. An orb of red compressed reiryoku flew from Akegatas outstreched palm and flew toward a target far in the distance. A muffled shattering sound responded her attack. Shocked gasps rang around the training grounds. One mocking voice broke the mutterings.  
"She must have cheated. She didn't even say the incantation! And filth like her aren't good at stuff!" Akegata slowly balled her fist. Then she dropped her arm to her side. She really hated the way the other nobles picked on her for being poor. She came from the Junrinan District, but was called to the Shin'o Academy by Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto after they were sent there to investigate reports on an unusual reiatsu sensing.

FLASHBACK.

Akegata groaned and lay back down. She just couldn't sleep. Another one of her friends had fallen to the burning hot fever that was travelling about right now and she was powerless to do anything. Fire flashed in her eyes and she heard a strangly echoing voice calling to her. She shut her eyes tightly.  
"Come to me... ... come..." The voice called. "come... akegata...come..." The voice was indistinct and could barely be heard over the crackling of flames. Suddenly it faded, and Akegatas eyes returned to their natural colour. She blearily opened her eyes. This was not the first time that the voice had tormented her. Akegata soon realised she wouldn't be able to sleep. She quietly rose from the dusty mattress she slept on and padded outside, opening the door as silently as she could. The star stained sky above her was blotted out as an unseen attacker landed in front of her. She lashed out with her fists but instead of contacting the opponent her hand was held in place by another figure.  
"W-who are you?" she stammered. The shadowy characters stepped foward into the golden puddle of light that suddenly pooled out of nowhere. Akegata instantly fell to her knees when she indentified the people. Both were attired in the Shinigami shihakusho. One was a tall lady with long strawberry blond hair and large cleavage, and a short boy with spiky white hair and a long captains haori.  
"Captain Hitsugaya! Lieutenant Matsumoto!" she gasped. "Sincerest apologies." The shinigami captain stepped forward and extended a hand. He seemed flustered.  
"Her..?" he muttered quietly to himself. Akegata stared at him in confusion. Whats he on about? she thought to herself. She accepted his hand and he pulled her up, surprising her with his strength. He's a soul reaper captain! Of course he's going to be strong! she reprimanded herself.  
"I'm Akegata-" she began.  
"I know exactly who you are." he murmured. His laidback lieutenant seemed to notice her apperance for the first time.  
"Hey Captain! You never said it would be this one! I never expected to see her ag-" Toshiro hissed in annoyance. He signalled to her and she bent down to listen to him. Akegata caught the last few words.  
"...can't know, okay?" Rangiku nodded sharply. Toshiro seemed to have forgotten about Akegata. Confusion flared suddenly in his eyes, but then he blinked, and it was gone. He straightened the collar of his shihakusho.  
"I just hate being short. If I was a few inches taller..." he muttered. Akegata suppressed a giggle but the small captain noticed. He blushed slightly when he realised he had spoken out loud. He turned to address her.  
"Akegata, we have recieved notice of a strange, illness, infecting the Junrinan District. Do you know much about it?" She blinked in surprise. She knew quite a bit.  
"Well, it only seems to effect those who are near me. They start coughing, which is the first tell-tale sign of the disease, and then they suddenly become really tired. Then they come down with an insane fever and if they're not treated to within about two hours they die." she paused, and the pair looked thoughtful.  
"You do realise that it's your own reiatsu doing this, right? Why don't you respond to the voice and control it?" Rangiku burst out. Toshiro narrowed his eyes but it was clear he had been pondering a soft way to say the same thing. Akegata was shocked into silence. This was my fault? She thought guitily. She thought back to the agony her friends had been through, before their suffering had ended. I could have prevented that by learning to control my... reiatsu? She blinked a few times to clear the tears blurring her eyes before she realised her, unexpected, visitors were expectantly awaiting an anwer.  
"Is there any way to control my, reiatsu?" she asked tentitively.  
"Well indeed there is!" Rangiku cried, clapping her hands together. Before she could say anything else the squad 10 captain spoke.  
"Yes, as my very noisy lieutenant said in the middle of the night," he growled, shooting a glare at Rangiku, "there is a way to control your reiatsu. And that is to study under the Shin'o Academy. You must become a soul reaper." Akegata drew a deep breath.  
"Okay, I'll do it."

NORMALNESS/UNFLASHBACK

Akegata blinked and was instantly bought back to the present. The mutterings had begun to die down, but absolute silence radiated from a certain point in the cluster of unheard people. The crowd parted and two figures paced down the bare cleft in the large group of wannabe shinigami. A shiver ran down Akegatas spine as she recognised the two peoples who convinced her to become a student of the shin'o academy. As the squad 10 captain walked past her the person beside her started talking about how she had destroyed the target. Someone quickly hushed them, telling them not to be rude, but the squad captain spun around to face Akegata. He opened his mouth slightly, as though to say something, but he snapped his jaw shut and stalked up to Sensei Ōnabara, garmets billowing. The captain muttered something to Ōnabara, who pointed to Akegata, then to the destroyed target and nodded furiously. It was obvious they were talking about her. Rangiku quickly followed her captain, indignant on being left behind.  
"Okay everyone, take a break!" Sensei Ōnabara called. Akegata started shuffling along behind her classmates.  
"Except for Akegata Kumori. Captain Hitsugaya requests a word with you." A few people stared, but everyone else just ignored her and continued moving away. Akegata stood frozen, thinking. What have I done wrong?! she almost wailed out loud. Then she realised that her sensei, the captain and the lieutenant were waiting for her. She spun and padded to their side. Ōnabara bowed.  
"We'll head to my of-" he began.  
"Actually, why don't you take a break as well. It has been a long day." Toshiro interrupted. Ōnabara bowed and murmured his thanks. Then Toshiro turned to Rangiku.  
"I assume you haven't completed your paperwork from yesterday," he guessed. "why don't you go and finish it with Lieutenant Kira?"  
"Ooh, I'll go get the bottles of sake, ah... the files... and... dash over to Izuru's!" she gabbled, and before the captain could reply, she was gone.  
"That Rangiku," he sighed, mostly to himself. Akegata couldn't think of anything to say, so they walked in silence, before reaching the Squad 10 captains office. Toshiro slid the door aside, proffering for Akegata to enter, before coming inside himself and sliding the door shut behind him. They came to a warmly lit study, before either of them spoke.  
"How have you been?" he asked, pouring tea into two mugs. He sat them down on a coffee table and seated himself on one of the couches. Akegata sat opposit him.  
"Um, well enough, thanks captain," she stammered. "And you?"  
"Very... distant." the captain replied, eyes clouding. "I was thinking of you."  
"Me?" exclaimed Akegata, startled. Why would the Captain of Squad 10 be thinking of a poor, unnoble girl like me? she thought to herself.  
"Do not belittle yourself," he growled "It will make you lose confidence and weaken right at the moment of attack."  
"How did you know-" she began.  
"It shows in your eyes." Toshiro said shortly. Then he sighed.  
"You deserve to know the truth," he murmured.  
"The truth?" Akegata asked.  
"Don't tell me you haven't noticed me, assessing your training."  
"Assessing my training?" she repeated, confused. But her thoughts were roiling like water left to boil, and suddenly a memory came to her. He must be the owner of that strange reiatsu I felt once every day or so.  
"Are you just going to repeat everything I say?" The captain snapped, seemingly impatient, interrupting her thoughts.  
"Well I could, but then this coversation would get absolutely nowhere," Akegata said, smiling. Then captain smiled slightly too.  
"So do you want to know? About how I failed?"  
"What do you mean?" Akegata said with an inquisitive look.  
"Well, it was an early spring day...  
STORYTIME!  
A loud crashing sound split the air. A large beast that looked like a giant repulsive ant stomped across the main road, squashing cars like ants. Normal ants, anyway. Akegata looked at the beast with wide emerald-green eyes, her long raven-black hair whipping around her face. As it spun around a hooded figure caught her eye. She narrowed her eyes against the swift wind that was brewing. A flash of silver captured her attention and she gasped as crimson blood pooled across the ground, pouring from the beasts arm. It released a screeching howl that chilled Akegata's blood and forced a shiver down her spine. The Hollow swiped a heavily spiked tail toward the squad captain.  
"Boy!" The beast roared, shocking Akegata.  
"How dare you think you can defeat me!" The boy leapt and the beasts tail swept harmlessly beneath him. Even from the distance Akegata could see the boy's eyes were flashing with indignation.  
"It's not 'boy' it's Captain Hitsugaya!" he complained hotly. The beast curled it's lip in a twisted approximation of a smile.  
"Oh, a Captain, are we? Let's see if you're as tasty as that other Soul Reaper earlier. I think her name was Momo or something..."  
"You filthy rat! As a Hollow you mean nothing to anyone! You will die without anyone to stay by your side!" the boy snarled. The 'Hollow' could see that it had touched a nerve. It's 'smile' grew wider.  
"Come to think of it, the girl was very tasty-" the monster was cut off the Soul Reaper Captain severed it's injured arm. It lay twitching on the ground for a moment before it was still.  
"Oh what a shame," the Hollow said, staring at it's ex-limb. "That was my favourite arm." It grunted and shook the bare stump, and Akegata watched in horror as the arm regenerated. The beast flexed it's arm a few times before apparently deciding it was satisfactory.  
"Was that pretty little girly your girl friend?" the Hollow taunted in a mocking voice. A cry of rage ripped from Captain Hitsugayas throat and lunged foward, cleaving the beasts head in two. It moaned one last time before dissolving into thick black dots and dissapearing into the darkening sky. Akegata stepped catiously foward, and called his name.  
"Captain Hitsugaya?" The boy spun around, hostility blazing in his eyes. He shook his sword and sheathed it.  
"Uh, who are you?" he asked shakily.  
"I'm Akegata Kumori," she introduced. "I saw you defeat that... Holly or whatever."  
"Hollow," he corrected, blinking. The hostile look in his eyes faded, to be replaced with curiousity. "Can you see me?" he suddenly asked, voice thick with disbelief.  
"Of course I can see you, you're right in front of me!" she snapped.  
"So do you know of the Soul Society, and the Seireitei, and the Shinigami?"  
"The what, the what, and the what?" she replied.  
"Oh, never mind," Akegata frowned. What in StarClans name is wrong with this mouse-brained idiot? she thought to herself.  
"Was that Mono-" she began.  
"Momo," he interrupted sharply. "Momo was... a very close friend of mine. She has been reported missing for a while. Apparently that," he broke off, eyes clouding. "apparently that Hollow ate her soul." Akegata burst out laughing.  
"Oh, I thought you were my age, but your just a little kid who looks alot older than they actually are!" she finally concluded. "Playing little kid games. But what was that Hollow. It looked so real..." The Captains eyes smoldered with unrestrained rage.  
"I am Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of Squad 10 of the Gotei 13 in Seireitei in the Soul Society. You are just a inexperienced young girl from the world of the living-" he broke off as another Hollow roared. He unsheathed his sword again, growling.  
"Stay behind me," he snapped. "just because we have an... unsettled, difference, doesn't mean I'm prepared to let one who is defenceless get hurt." As he tried to leap forward Akegata grabbed his arm. He hissed in annoyance and tried to shake her off.  
"Don't get hurt," she pleaded as he snatched his arm back. He replied with just a quick nod. While he was occupied with this first Hollow a second stomped up behind Akegata. But she did not notice. She was too absorbed in watching the captain fight. The Hollow bought down a heavy forearm, which fell in slow motion, and cracked the earth. The first Hollow dissolved, and Toshiro flicked his head to one side, to see what Akegata was doing. The Hollow was looming toward him. Behind it was a limp body. A yowl of fury tore from him and he stabbed the second Hollow through the skull, killing it instantly. He sheathed his blade and leapt to Akegatas side. Falling to his knees, he knew she was dead.  
END OF STORY!  
"I'm sorry but... thats how you died. For days after I felt shame, sorrow and fury. I couldn't even defeat a Hollow. Even to this day I fell utterly disgusted with myself."  
Toshiro bowed his head, indicating that his tale was finished.  
"So," he said, clearly expecting Akegata to be angry. But she wasn't. He seemed to have thought for a long time before telling her this. Akegata stood and sat beside him. He looked at her, his familiar teal eyes filled with... anxiety? Tears glimmered in Akegatas eyes and she blinked, the drops of clear crystal thudding softly against her Shin'o Academy uniform.  
"I don't blame you," she whispered, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.  
"But it was my fault!" he protested, just as quietly.  
"No... no," Akegata replied. Then she began to cry. She buried her head in the Soul Reaper Captains chest and bent her knees, so she was in a curled position on the sofa.  
"I was so rude..." she murmured. Then she seemed to remember who she was speaking with and where she was. She sat bolt upright and leapt shakily to her feet. A deep blush settled on her face and she curtsied.  
"Apologies, Captain," she said, biting her lip. The apparently ashamed captain rose and lifted his chin. Akegata was shocked to see tears trailing down his own face. Ever since, well, anyone knew Toshiro Hitsugaya, he was always neutral and never exposed his feelings to anyone! Suddenly Akegata felt rather dizzy, and her vision went black.  
When Akegata came to, the first thing she realised was that the sky outside the window was darkening.  
The second thing she realised was that she wasn't in her bedroom, but rather in the Squad 10 captains office.  
And the third thing she realised was that she was clasped in a pair of strong arms. She felt her body go limp for a moment, feeling completely safe from the beatings and sharp retorts that the nobles gave her for the first time for a long time. Then a disturbing thought struck her. If I'm in the Squad 10 Captains office, who's holding me up?! She lifted her face and to her increasing horror saw Captain Hitsugaya looking down at her, concern glittering in his turquoise-blue eyes.  
"I-I'm s-so so-so-sorry, Captain," she stammered. He seemed not to notice.  
"All my fault. I could have stopped this... why didn't I? Because I'm weak..." he was muttering to himself. Akegata could tell he was referring to her death, but she wondered why. After all, I'm only an 'inexperienced girl from the world of the living.' Why should he care so much about me? Other people have probably died by being eaten by Hollows. The Shinigami can't protect everyone in the world... we're not super heroes. Even that substitute, Ichigo knows that. So why... Then Akegata realised that Toshiro was staring at her. She suddenly remembered how he had read her eyes before and she looked away. Then the door to the office banged open and a flustered-looking Rangiku stuttered inside. She clumsily shut it behind her. Thats when Akegata noticed she was still held in the Captains arms. She pushed him away gently but the Squad 10 Lieutenant was staring at the pair.  
"Oh, you found your little girly-wirly frien- ahh" she cried, collapsing to the ground. She lay in an untidy heap and rolled over giggling.  
"Let's all have a drink," Rangiku offered, pulling a bottle of sake out of her shihakusho sleeve.  
"No, Rangiku, I am pretty sure you've had enough to drink," the increasingly annoyed Captain said.  
"Aww, why not? Just a little sip," she begged.  
Toshiro sighed and snapped "Rangiku, did you get any paperwork done?" It was clear she hadn't.  
"What paperwork?" the drunken lieutenant giggled innocently.  
"Rangiku!" Toshiro cried. Akegata forced back a giggle at the pairs difference in attitude. A pair of matched blades? Maybe not, but they're certainly a one-of-a-kind couple! Akegata thought to herself. She curtsied again.  
"Maybe I'll come back later," She decided. The Captain sighed again.  
"Yes, maybe you should," he said wearily. "I would like to preserve my lieutenants dignity-" he broke off and look at the big mound of person that was supposed to be Rangiku, which was now apparently asleep.  
"Or as much as possible, anyway." Akegata fought back another giggle and curtsied once more.  
"Farewell, Captain Hitsugaya, until we meet again," she said, dipping her chin.  
"Of course," he replied. As Akegata slid the somewhat battered door shut she paused.  
"I'll ask her tomorrow," the captain was saying, apparently to himself. His only reply was another bout of laughter from who else, but Rangiku.


	2. Cherry Blossom Night Rain

Akegata padded through the night-filled streets of Seireitei, pondering what had occured just three nights ago. He tried to save me, but failed. So what is that supposed to mean for me? And what about Toshiro? Will he be punished? Because, although I hate to admit, he could have protected me. If he had not let his anger cloud his judgement, he could have sent me to a safe place instead of leaving me to watch. As she thought, she found a feeling buried deep inside herself. I hate him! It was all his fault! An image of her smiling family came to the fore of her mind, and she clenched her fist, a growl sounding deep in her throat. Her vision wavered, and became more sharp in the dimly lit evening. Her hearing broadened until the slight breeze was as loud as a howling gale, but she found that she could ajust the sound to her liking. Her sense of smell increased, her nostrils filled with the not unpleasent tang of the wind, water and shadow. Then the sensation was gone. Akegata fell to her kness, gasping. What was that! I almost felt as a cat should! The thought left her worried, that she was going insane. Then her remaining vitality drained and she gave way to unconciousness on a paved street of Squad 10 territory.  
Akegata opened her eyes, to stare at the ceiling of an unknown building. Where am I? she thought groggily. She tried to sit up but someone pushed her back down.  
"Wow, you're finally awake!" a cheery voice said, close to her ear. Akegata instinctively swept a fist back, only just stopping herself in time from hitting the person in the face.  
"Ah, sorry," Akegata apologised awkwardly.  
"Yeah, you're not the first person thats tried to hit me in the face," the person replied patting her gently rounded belly "but that was the first time someones retaliated for me helping them. And besides, its not my fault that my belly never fills!" Akegata laughed, and the person smiled, and began laughing too.  
"Well, I thought you might want to know, I'm Sakura Amaya, and I'm in the second class in the Shin'o Academy. Oh, and I like eating. What about you?" Akegata tipped her head to one side.  
"I think I've seen you before, but I'm not sure," she said, thinking. "Anyway, I'm Akegata Kumori, and I'm in the first class in the Shin'o Academy-"  
"Oh, I've heard of you! You're that girl from the Junrinan District that had a private meeting with Captain Hitsugaya!" Sakura exclaimed. Akegata seemed confused.  
"I'm the one who found you," Sakura offered "Captain Hitsugaya was looking for a girl called Akegata. I thought I had heard that name before, but nobody spoke up, and, well, to be honest, I'm not very popular at the academy. But according to Old Man Akio he's my grandfather- I'm pretty good at tracking reiatsu so I offered to follow your trail. I must say you didn't make it easy to locate you. But when I did we found you unconcious on the street. Do you know anything? Were you attacked by a Hollow?" Sakura was looking at her curiously. The memory of the previous night returned to her but she shook her head. She didn't want people to think she was poor, unnoble and had mental issues.  
"You know you shouldn't belittle yourself. It could make you lose confidence and weaken right in the moment of attack," Sakura said gently. That was what Toshiro had said! Am I really that easy to read? Akegata wondered.  
"Let me guess- you read my eyes," she predicted correctly.  
"Yeah, wow, how did you know?!" Sakura said, surprised.  
"Let's just say I've been told the same thing by someone I used to consider a friend," Akegata replied. Then a thought occurred to her. What if they can tell what happened last night by examining my eyes! She then saw the unmasked confusion in Sakuras soft brown eyes. Maybe not. Suddenly the pair was interrupted when someone grasped Sakura by her jaw-length smoky black-brown hair.  
"What have I told you about disturbing my patients?" a slightly hypnotic voice sounded from behind her.  
"Captain Unohana!" Sakura cried, before slapping a hand over her mouth. "Sorry, I forgot. 'Keep quiet because we have sick patients in here', right?" The squad 4 captain shook her head slightly.  
"If you really want to be a member of the fourth division, I suggest keeping on the right side of their captain." she suggested lightly. Seeing the confusion in Akegatas eyes, Sakura turned to her.  
"Yeah, I always wanted to be a Squad Four member, but Old Man Akio says I should be in Squad Two, because of my skill at Reiatsu tracking. I don't think so because I'm so clumsy!" she laughed, somewhat serious, and patted her belly again. "Oh, and I think I forgot to tell you, you're in the Squad Four barracks."  
"I-I'm in the infirmary? For how long have I been here?" Akegata stammered.  
"Only the night," Sakura replied.  
"Sakura, may you please wait outside. I am sure your friend will not die from slight dehydration," Unohana said pleasently. Sakura obediently stepped outside the door, but Akegata could tell from occasional rumbles of someones belly that she was waiting just outside the door.  
"Sakura, why don't you go and get something to eat!" Akegata laughed. Hurried footsteps running along the corridor told them both that Sakura had headed straight to the kitchens. Surpressing a laugh Akegata turned to Captain Unohana.  
"Captain, am I alright to go ho- ah, back to the Shin'o Academy?" She had been about to say 'home'.  
"You should be, but I would like to keep you here for the night, just in case." the motherly captain turned away, walking toward the door. "Oh, and you have a visitor. I'll send them in now."  
She pulled open the door and stepped outside, shutting it softly behind her. A dull murmuring started behing the door before it was flung open. A short boy with pure white hair forced his anxiety away and bounded to her side.  
"Akegata, I came as-" he broke off and regained his natural calm attitude. He inclined his head.  
"Akegata, are you okay?" he asked. Akegata fiery emerald eyes flared.  
"Why should you care!" Akegata snapped, shocking the Captain. Then he realised that this was a result of the 'certain information' he had told her.  
"I'm sorry you feel that way, Akegata, but we must not speak of this here-"  
"Why not?" she interrupted, eyes filled with hostility.  
"Because, the others can't know-" he tried to explain.  
"Oh, because that would be too much of a blow to your pride, just as it was to my life?!" she retorted. Toshiro recoiled, stung.  
"I'm really sorry you feel this way," he whispered, eyes filled with misery. Akegata felt a flash of regret, but as soon as she remembered her family's smiling faces, it was gone.  
"Huh, I don't remember you saying that to any of my family," she snorted.  
"That is because they probably wouldn't be able to see me."  
"Oh, and you would know that because you tried so hard!"  
"You know I would have if I had time." Akegata pretended not to have heard his last answer.  
"What about your gigai?"  
"And you also know that wouldn't work. A twelve year old guy with white hair walks up to your dad. 'Hey Mr. Kumori, I'm sorry but after trying to defeat a giant beast called a Hollow which the Shinigami are ordered to destroy, which I am, I accidentily let your daughter get killed." Toshiro was becoming rather irritated now.  
"No maybe not, but you could have told someone I was dead and then run or something!"  
"And be hunted down by the police everytime I visit the world of the living, which I probably would never do if I told someone you were dead and be suspected of murder because I would be ordered to immediate excecution by Head Captain Yamamoto!" Toshiro snarled. Akegata was struck dumb at the thought of the Squad 10 captain dead, and any sharp remarks she could have possibly said dissolved from her mind. Toshiro leant down and murmured  
"Just come to my office tonight, okay? We'll talk there." Toshiro spun and stalked out the door.  
"Why?" Akegata called, raising her head, but he was gone. She let her head thump back down on the pillow. Shortly after Sakura came into the room.  
"Hey, was Captain Hitsugaya here? Why didn't you call me?" she complained. She saw admiration and jealousy in her new friends eyes, and she felt a twinge of protection?. She pushed it away as the image of her family flashed in front of her eyes again. Well, shes welcome to him.  
"Ah, yeah, he was. And sorry I didn't call you. I thought you were still in the kitchens." Akegata apologised.  
"Are you calling me fat?" Sakura exclaimed. Akegata stared at her. Sakura laughed at the astonishment on her face.  
"Oh, you're so gullible! Of course I was still in the kitchens! But anyway," she said, quickly becoming serious "I passed a few people on the way back here, and they were all muttering about hearing some raised voices in the building, and some released reiatsu. I presumed it was you, because someone said they recognised one of the spiritual pressures as Captain Hitsugayas. And since Captain Unohana said he would be visiting you, I came here as soon as I could." Sakura paused for a deep breath. "You know, you're lucky the walls here are made of sekkiseki, with that power the pair of you were releasing. And what were you arguing about?" Akegata was still staring at her.  
"Well, I have a few things to say. You know you would make an excellent assassin, like your Old Man Akio says. And how come there is noone else in here?"  
"Because we, as in Captain Unohana and myself, specifically ordered for you to have your own room."  
"Oh, thank you. And as for what we were arguing about," Dispite Akegatas newfound dislike for the squad captain she didn't want to reveal her death to anyone until she found out what he would say tonight.  
"Um... we were debating the bitches at the Shin'o Academy," she lied "I mentioned one girl and he complained hotly. Maybe he fancied her." Akegata said, eyes twinkling.  
"Oooh, do you remember who it was? Tell me, tell me, tell me!" Sakura begged.  
"Ah, sorry, I can't remember," Akegata said. Suddenly wanting to be alone, Akegata shut her eyes.  
"Hey, Sakura," she said "we're friends, aren't we?" Sakuras belly grumbled.  
"Yeah," she said brightly, ignoring her complaining appitite "Of course we are!"  
"So I'll see you tomorrow?" Akegata asked.  
"You bet!" she said, walking out the door. "I'll leave you to rest," she added, before slipping outside. When she was gone, Akegata opened her eyes. Then, when she was positive noone was going to burst through the door at any moment, she opened the window as silently as she could. She stood on her bed, wincing as a stab of lightheadedness shook her skull. She staggered, then leapt softly to the ground outside.  
Akegata flashstepped cautiously, keeping to the shadows. She soon arrived at the office that held the captain that had, in a way, killed her.  
"Shin'o Academy student Akegata Kumori, requesting an audience with Squad 10 Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya," she called quietly. The door was slid aside, and a hand pulled her inside. The person shut the door behind them.  
"Captaaaaiiiin," Akegata whined, rubbing her wrist. "That hurt."  
A pair of emerald eyes glinted in the darkness.  
"You came," said a voice, belonging to Toshiro Hitsugaya. Akegata was about to step forward, when she realised something. Toshiros eyes aren't green! They're teal! And I can't flashstep! she tried to turn and run but the hand grabbed her wrist again.  
"Oh, no, I don't think so," the voice said, followed by the sound of a sword being unsheathed.  
"You're not going anywhere." Suddenly a white-hot feeling of agony pierced Akegata and she looked down to see a long Zanpakuto stabbed through her gut. As she fell to her knees she caught a glimpse of the attackers face.  
"No," she gasped, coughing up blood. "What did you do with Captain Hitsugaya?!"  
"Oh, do not worry, he is quite safe," said the person. Then the moonlight broadened and Akegata saw another figure. He was clad in a thick black coat, so Akegata could not see his profile. But his russet brown eyes flecked with crimson gleamed in the half-light. And his hands were clearly illuminated in the silvery light. His fingernails were long, sharp claws. And gripped in one of those bony, malevolent hands was a long, thin zanpakuto. So long that the tip faded into the darkness in the corner of the room. Then the light increased again, but Akegata still couldn't see the tip. Because it was buried into the gut of a male, attired with the soul reaper shihakusho, and the white captains haori. The boy was short, with spiky, white hair. His sightless teal eyes stared without seeing at the ceiling.  
"You said he was safe!" Akegata screeched. An evil chuckle filled the room, and Akegata found she could not move. The blade inside her twisted and she screamed.

Akegata blinked and opened her eyes. She was lying on something soft- no, not the body of Captain Hitsugaya, but a soft, downy mattress. Silvery-white moonlight was streaming through the window, reminding Akegata of Captain Hitsugayas hair. Memory of her dream flooded back to her, threatening to engulf her. A slight breeze blew through the window she had opened before apparently falling unconcious. A loud tap tap tap sound bought her attention to her window. Toshiro was scowling, tapping her window! Akegata leapt to her feet, and after shaking off another bout of lightheadedness she climbed out the window.  
"What took you so long! I waited for over an hour, and then I came over here, waiting for about ten minutes for you to wake up!" Toshiro hissed. Akegata could tell he was more worried than angry. She ignored his venomous attitude.  
"I'm sorry, Captain, but I was about to jump out the window when I think I fell asleep. " Akegata apologised.  
"It's fine," he said. "Let's just go." Toshiro grabbed Akegatas waist.  
"Hey, what are you doing!" she cried, startled. He didn't reply, but flashstepped to his office. He let her go and she resisted the urge to slap him.  
"I might not be able to flashstep very well, but I didn't need to be carried like a child!" she said indignantly. The captain ignored her. He seemed... embarrassed.  
"We're here," he muttered. He pulled aside the door and they stepped inside. The room was dark, mostly lit by the fire glowing in the corner. Toshiro poured two cup of tea and seated himself on one of his couches. Akegata sat beside him. She gratefully accepted a cup and was about to speak when the couch opposit them sat up.  
"Greetings, Captain," it muttered. Akegata screamed and dropped the mug. The fine pottery smashed as it hit the floor, splashing hot tea everywhere.  
"I see you bought your girly friend again," the couch spoke again. Akegata rubbed her eyes, waiting for them to adjust to the dark. Then she realised the 'couch' was the Squad 10 lieutenant, Rangiku! The captain growled.  
"For the last time! Akegata is not my girlfriend!" he complained.  
"The last time? Good." She turned to Akegata "So what, are you attracted to his silky, white hair, or his shiny, teal eyes...?" Akegata turned away, cheeks burning. Toshiro puffed with outrage.  
"Rangiku!" he cried.  
"Oh I know you just want me to go so that you can ask her-" While Rangiku had been speaking, Toshiro had moved to her side. He slapped a hand over her mouth.  
"Why don't you get out of my office and do your paperwork?" the captain suggested. Rangiku smiled, eyes shining and nodded.  
"Okay," she said.  
"Well that was too easy-" Toshiro cut himself off as Rangiku walked right past the files and out the door, obviously not noticing they were right there. Akegata surpressed a giggle. Toshiro sighed and shook his head.  
"Sometimes I wonder," he muttered to himself.  
"So what is your hard-working lieutenant talking about when she said 'you just want me to go so you can ask her?'" she said, half-joking. Toshiro looked right at her, the broken mug forgotton. He took a deep breath and said  
"Akegata, I have been acessing your progress in the shin'o academy more often since our meeting. I wanted to ask you this before but we were, interrupted. Even if we weren't I'm not sure if I still would have asked. Akegata, would you like to join the tenth division?"


End file.
